The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-13

buu WOutu WIN llttle VI NJ dUiiiNy
TO read for entertainment have gone
at it remorselessly. Their profess
sions are charitable. They choose
some philanthropic institution TO
benefit, have pretty tickets printed
and then make carriage rounds OF
their masculine acquaintances TO sell
the cords at 81 apiece. If q pur-
chase was the end OF the matter it
would cause little suffering, for the
victims are generally rich; but at
tendance is too often essential, lest
the fair reciter take offense, and so it
may safely be assumed that the most
solemn of our Lenten assemblages
are those which face the amateur
readers with a grim resolve TO seem
amused. Some Of the elocutionists
go to the extreme Of propriety. toos
in the selection Of pieces, and mi
nutely rhymed accounts of disasters
TO blush at are coolly acclaimed by
favorites Of delicate fashion. With
the other arts Of the stage which our
girls of the parlor platform try to ac-
quire is that of responding in col
lapse TO an encore. You have seen
distinguished actresses do it. After
the curtain has fallen on a scene re-
quiring no exhaustive expenditure
Of breath and scarcely any action
she YEARLY comes forward, gasping
and staggering, cluehing for sup
port and altogether helpless. That
was a part OF her role, and the society
actress attempts it deliberately. -.
There has been a great public ball
this week, despite Lent, and dis
tinctly fashionable one. moreover.
1t was not Christian, however, but
Jewish. The annual Purim Charity
Ball gathers the wealth and style OF
our Israelites, and this time the
toilets were wonderfully fine. Even
a mans eyes could see at a look that
there was richness Of coloring not
usually seen at ball. A discrim
mating survey by woman revealed
the reason. The Jewesses were
brunettes, with few exceptions, and
there were not score Of blondes in
the whole multitude. That meant
bright, dark. heavy fabrics. and the
effect was singularly gorgeous. There
was, of course. sameness OF feat-
ures, and pug nose would actually
have been a relief for eyes tired of
seeing the jewish sort; but beauty
was plenty, and some of the higher
types of Israelite faces, particularly
in the younger girls, were very love-
ly. Nobody attracted more atten-
ton, however, that Mrs. Levi Cohen.
OF course, Cohens we're there by the
hundred, and not few Of them had
Lewis for husbands; but this partic-
ular Mrs. Levi Cohen was the new
bride of the Austrian Consulate s
chief secretary. She was tall hand
some lady, elegantly attired, but the
distinguishing thing about her was a
monogram OF 81. c." tattooed lret-
tily, though rather conspicuous)y, ON
her barred right shoulder. They
were the initials OF her husbands
name, aud had been pricked in at her
engagement. :,
"What on earth would she do if
she became q widow, or got divorced
aud wished TO marry another MANI
said one observer.
20, marry another Levi Cohen, "
was the reply.
A freak OF fashion, and not wholly
unreasonable one, either, is to not On
any account whatever sit in prosce-
mum bcx at q tbeater. Ownership
OF Grand Opera boxes is as desirable
as ever, but the new custom is TO
regard the proscenium arc, with all
it contains, as part Of the stage show.
This has been BROUGHT about BY the
theater managers, who fill their boxes
with actresses off duty, besides put
ting in, too often, women Of less
commendable publicity. Indeed, in
two or three houses the exploiting Of
notoriety seekers in the boxes has
all the season been a fragrant scan
dal, and one which has recoiled on
tho management by spelling the sale
of boxes to good folks. Nowadays
it is considered polite to aim glasses
at the occupants of the boxes, and
to openly regard them as exhibits.
CLARA BELLE.
u-u------------u-----~---~s